Chapter 5
'How dare she escape. Who told her she could leave, she would kill herself trying to survive on her own.'
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Rin shivered in the chilly night air. It had been three days since she had sneaked away from the camp leaving Sesshoumaru and that mean toad Jaken behind. Three very lonely days in which she still had not decided on her future. She was homeless, no families and no friends. She fought back tears as she had every time she thought about her situation. She refused to cry, tears wouldn't resolve anything.
She stood up, it was time she saw to finding a secluded area to camp and gather her evening meal. She picked up her small bag, which carried the only belongings she had left in the world. A wash cloth, a bowl, a dull knife, a mixer, a towel, a small blanket and one of the kimonos Sesshoumaru had given her. She hadn't wanted to take the kimono, but she really needed a change of clothes.
She traveled a little farther and found a small cave hidden behind a few trees, it was by a small lake. The hiding space required that she do a little climbing, but Rin didn't mind. She always pushed herself to the limit. She didn't want to think she just wanted to mindlessly trudge along.
Rin shook her head, she was scaring herself. Yesterday she had found herself staring straight ahead not noticing the beautiful surroundings, not even the flowers. Upon noticing this she began picking flowers frantically nearly becoming hysterical, if she lost her joy in the small things then she really did have nothing and life really did have no meaning. That thought scared her spit less, for if this was true then why had she lived when all of her loved ones had died.
A few tears had escaped that day, she had picked all those flowers but she had nothing to do with them. She had ended up making a small memorial to her dead family on the ground with the flowers and spoke to her family telling them that she missed them and that she still loved them. Oddly this had mentally strengthened her and physically weakened her at the same time.
Rin had made it to the cave and checked to make sure it was empty. Seeing it was safe she left her things there and began to climb back down. She was tired of fish, but right now that was the easiest thing for her to catch. She would also gather some berries and whatever else she could find that was eatable.
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Sesshoumaru watched as the girl painstakingly made her way down the side of the steep hill. He had woken up three days ago to find her missing, it hadn't even taken him a day to find her despite her excellent methods to cover her tracks. He had sent Jaken ahead to the Western Lands and had been watching the girl ever since. Ironically she was headed toward his home.
He was truly surprised that she had lasted this long, yes he was surprised and something else. Today he had finally realized what he felt along with the initial wonder. He felt a grudging respect and . . . pride, almost as if he himself had taught her how to survive.
He followed her the short way to the lake. He had asked himself why he had pursued her, why he cared if she left. He had came to the conclusion that he was just making sure that she made it to the safety of a village as repayment for her earlier help. He didn't have to do much convincing because that had truly been his intent . . . in the beginning. Now though, he was intrigued and wouldn't mind having her around long enough to figure out the mystery that was Rin. Then, naturally he would discard her.
He remembered the day he thought the strain of traveling on her own had finally gotten to her. She had started to pick flowers like a maniac. He had been shocked and a little disgusted by this show of insanity, but before he could turn away and leave for good, she had pulled herself together and she had even smiled. He had watched her make a memorial for her lost family and felt a tug of familiarity. He had once done something like that for his mother. He had left her in peace, a respectful move that he never thought he would give any human, so that she could have this time to morn her family, which he had a feeling she hadn't been given a chance to do yet.
He now watched as she stood in water that came to her calves. Her sleeves were rolled up, her face was lined with exhaustion. He knew she hadn't slept for the entire three days and she looked as if she would faint from lack of sleep at any moment. She stood in the water for what seemed like an hour, her fatigue making her hands clumsy. She dropped every fish she caught. She began shivering, teeth chattering, and her lips blue from cold tightened with determination. Sesshoumaru started to step forward, this was unnecessary he would get the damn fish for her if she wanted it. When he was about to reveal himself she caught a fish and held on to it. she brought it to the bank.
Instead of going immediately back to the cave, she began to undress. 'Stupid human, she's going to freeze to death.' Again he took a step toward her, and stopped dead in his tracks. Her lower back was lovely as he had expected, but her upper back was swollen and red. When had she been so deeply injured?
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Rin shivered, she was so cold but she couldn't go back to the cave just yet. She had to see to her back. It had been aching every since Sesshoumaru had awoken her or whatever he had done, she still wasn't sure about the events that caused her to still be living.
She reached one hand around and tentatively touched her upper back between her shoulder blades. Rin had wondered many times if this was an injury she had acquired when she had been attacked by the Lord's Son. But she continually discarded this explanation because instead of healing as it should it felt as if it was getting worse.
She pressed the flesh in, half expecting something to come out, puss, blood anything. Her back felt so full, she pressed harder and opened her mouth on a silent scream shuddering from the pain of it. Rin bent over the cold water, the top of her kimono completely hanging off her torso. She dipped her washing cloth in the freezing water and began to bathe her shoulders and back, signing with a small amount of pleasure when the cloth touched between her shoulder blades soothing the heat and the swelling. She rung the cloth dry and slipped back on her kimono. She'd wash the rest of her body in the morning. Right now she was too cold, too tired and she had no dog youkai and his sensitive nose to consider. She could forget about the berries and plants as well, it had taken her too long to catch one lousy fish.
Said fish in her hand she started back toward her temporary home, picking up some twigs and such for fire wood and a flower for good measure on the way. When she was nearly there she felt something almost like a sixth sense. She stopped and looked back the way she came from up towards the trees. She felt like someone or something was watching her, and strangely she didn't feel threatened by its presence, she almost felt relieved. She shook her head 'what nonsense am I thinking now? There's nothing there and even if there was I shouldn't feel relieved. She tucked the flower in her hair tied the string that held the fish onto her shoulder. Took a sash which was more like a torn piece of cloth and began tying the firewood to her back. After everything was secure she began to climb the steep hill.
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Sesshoumaru watched as the little human female made a tiny fire. He knew she had deliberately made it so small in an attempt to keep predators from seeing the fire and thus her hiding location. He saw the fish roasting over the fire knowing it would take longer because of the diminutive size of the flame and the good size of the fish. He watched as she sat as close to the fire as possible nearly singeing the skirt of her kimono in an attempt to get warm. He wanted to tell her that she could make the fire bigger, that he would make sure that no predator would bother her. But that would mean revealing himself, and possibly spooking her into running again. And that would not be good at least not until he got his answers.
He wondered if she already knew he was here. After all she had looked straight at him not too long ago. That had really shocked him, he hadn't really hidden himself but he knew her human eyes could not see him up in the trees. He immediately dismissed the idea of her knowing that he was near, it was impossible.
That she had, to some measure, sensed him didn't surprise him. Humans were strange that way, sometimes showing great insight sometimes showing none. That unpredictability was what made Sesshoumaru believe that humans should not be underestimated. Only a fool would underestimate his enemies. Sesshoumaru was not a fool.
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It had been three days since she had set out to find and rescue Rin. Kiyomi was getting tired and she had a feeling she wasn't even close to zeroing in on Rin's location.
Kiyomi sighed she couldn't give up now. She just hoped the village would be safe while she was gone. She never left her post at the village, but one duty was sometimes more important and pressing than another.
She would make camp here. And tomorrow she would continue her search for Rin.
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"Inu Yasha slow down we have to rest here for tonight, everyone is tired."
"You guys are so weak, If it-"
"If it wasn't for us you would have found the Shikon by now." Kagome, Sango, Miroku, and Shipo all said in unison, used to hearing this statement from the hanyou. Even Kirara snorted adding her two cents.
"Feh!" Was Inu Yasha only reply.
"Inu Yasha, why don't you want to stop for tonight?" Kagome ever sensitive to the changes in Inu Yasha's moods, asked quietly enough so that only he could hear. "Is it because this is the night of the new moon?"
"Yeah, and if you hadn't noticed we're really close to my dear bro's lands." He felt it safe enough to express this much with Kagome considering the others couldn't hear him.
"Oh." Both Kagome and Inu Yasha were thinking of the most recent fight with Sesshoumaru how even after being hit with the Kaze No Kizu he had been able to walk away nearly or completely unscathed they weren't sure which. It was not good to be this close to Sesshoumaru, during the new moon no less.
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She was making too much noise. She hadn't gone to sleep since she left him and Jaken. He had started to think she had been unable to sleep at all. Sesshoumaru jumped from his perch on a tall tree and into the small cave in one bound. He wasn't able to stand up, the ceiling of the cave was too low to the ground. So he crouched, annoyed that he had to take on this undignified position. He slowly made his way over to where she lay on the ground.
She twisted and turned crying out in agony, and even as he touched her face and sheltered her with his tail she still wouldn't quiet down. 'What tortures you so, Rin? What are your dreams showing you?' He asked knowing she couldn't hear him even if he had said it out loud, she was lost to this world and everything in it.
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The explosions were deafening, the sounds of battle were horrible. Alaric turned, looking for his wife as he had done many times in the last hour. He now fully understood why soldiers with family didn't want their love ones any where near the danger. It proved to be a serious and dangerous distraction.
How many Atlantians were left? he scanned the small crowd and did an estimate. About eighty, he could most probably fit all of those on the last life boat. He felt a deep sense of urgency, he could get his family off this sinking kingdom alive. Where the hell were those soldiers? He couldn't lead the people off into danger so he had to wait for the ok of the soldiers that they had the next boat ready. He glanced around frantically the inner walls of the temple were about to be breached, he could feel the vibration that shook the building with every heave of the huge log being banged up against the outer door. They had to hurry. He glanced over to his wife she was staring at him steadily. He resisted the urge to ask her what was going to happen, he had never taken advantage of her gift before and he wouldn't do so now. Plus he wasn't sure he wanted to know.
"Sir, sir!" Alaric watched as a young Atlantian (he couldn't be any more than sixteen) ran up to him.
"Akando what is it what's wrong, where are the other soldiers?" Akando had been one of the few soldiers to volunteer to see the people safely to the safety boats, for that Alaric would always be thankful to him as well as the other soldiers.
"It's the boats sir," Akando said panting for air.
"Damn! what about them?"
"There isn't any more."
"What do you mean there isn't any more, we filled each boat to the brim to make sure we all got out. Did something happen to the last one?"
"No sir, the one before was always the last one."
"When we counted the boats before we loaded them, there was enough for us all."
"We must have miss counted sir." This was said almost snidely and Alaric was starting to get a bad vibe from this kid.
He asked very quietly, his voice full of menace, "Where are the other soldiers?"
"Dead sir."
Alaric smiled, feeling a rage so deep it surpassed normality. "And how did they die Akando?" He already knew the answer, but he was a fair man that didn't make snapped judgments. He would hear what this traitor had to say.
The young Atlantian smiled as well, "You already know the answer to that question sir, so let's not waste time."
"The other Atlantians . . ?" Alaric asked.
"The only true Atlantians are the rebels, all else are cheap imitations."
"Now who is wasting time? You Know what I mean are they alive?"
"Unfortunately yes, but that can easily be rectified. We know where they are going and as soon as we dispose of the rest of you we will go after them."
"It was a yes or no question and all I wanted to hear was yes!" Alaric attacked the young boy before he had finished this statement. He struck him several times before his hands settled on the young Atlantian's gullet. He didn't squeeze he wouldn't kill him, not yet. He could be used in some way Alaric was sure. Before he dealt with him though he had to think of what to do with the few people of Atlantis left.
Alaric was turning to address his people, the unconscious boy lying unmoving on the floor when A'Marie ran up to him pulling him away from the temple doors, which at that moment burst open. The explosion knocking both of them several feet forward. A'Marie lost her balance, but Alaric caught her before she fell. Their daughter was still held securely in her arms. Aelan's eyes were wide open and with a steadfast look at all going on around her.
The people of Atlantis were mumbling in frightened whispers as they stared at the open area where the temple doors once were. Alaric watched the doorway warily every once in a while glancing around looking for an exit.
There was none.
There were no weapons as well, they were defenseless.
Soon several footsteps could be heard, Alaric along with all in the temple sucked in a breath, preparing themselves for what was to come. He pushed A'Marie behind him spreading his wings in a symbolic gesture telling all that he protected not only his wife and child but the people of Atlantis as well. This seemed to calm his people a little.
"I take it that you are ready to surrender Alaric. There is no way out of this situation. However we will not kill you as of yet, you could be some use to us." The leader of the rebels stepped past the smoke that rose from the debris.
"And the people of Atlantis?"
"The people standing behind you should die! For what they did to Atlantis!"
"And what about what you did to it, it's sinking. In an hour or two it will not even be here, you are the traitor here Amos not me and not these people!"
"SILENCE! I will have your silence or I will have your tongue. I was not finished. Atlantis is more than a place my dear Alaric it is a state of being a way looking at things. When you signed a treaty with those outside of Atlantis you signed us to a limitation. We are stronger, more clever, with better gifts than those who are beneath us, we should rule them. I will not kill these people you protect so passionately, that is not my master's wish. Lock them in chains." This last sentence was said to the rebels he commanded.
Aelan let out a huge cry, it bounced off the walls echoing eerily in the silence hinting at an extreme amount of inner strength. Amos whipped around at the sound looking at the bundle in A'Marie arms. One of the rebels behind Amos stepped forward and whispered loud enough for Alaric to hear, in Amos' ear.
"Is that the child the master was talking about?"
"I don't know but we'll find out when he inspects the prisoners."
"Should I take the child separately?"
Alaric stiffened at this question.
"No, let them keep the child a little while longer." Amos no longer caring about the child turned his back and walked away letting his men take care of the prisoners.
"Alaric?" A'Marie looked at him frightened by what she had heard the men say.
"It'll be all right A'Marie." He laid a comforting hand on her shoulder, not wanting to appear too close to her. Knowing that the rebels would take great pleasure in hurting him in any way.
"Alaric, please don't let them put us with the people with injuries. Aelan . . . she's in too much pain as it is." She whispered urgently, three rebel men coming toward them. Sounds of panic could be heard throughout the temple as the rebels roughly manhandled the Atlantians into the iron chains.
"A'Marie what do you mean, why is she in pain?" Alaric asked both confused and concerned as he looked down at the infant in her arms.
"It's her gift Alaric, her gift and her curse."
"Put these chains on!" It was a rebel fighter, he was holding the chains under Alaric's nose.
"No."
The rebel punched Alaric in the stomach. Alaric grunted bending over a little. But what stopped him from protesting more was the wounded sounds his baby daughter was making, her little body curling in a fetal position as if she were trying to protect her hurt stomach. He couldn't give the rebels any trouble, being this close to his daughter, she felt everything he was going through. He watched as they placed the chains on A'Marie and he surrendered . . . for now. He bent over and placed the chains around his ankles then his wrists.
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Sesshoumaru looked down at the girl who was now sleeping peacefully. He remembered at one time in her dreams she had become extremely hot to the touch, he looked down at his hands which were beginning to heal themselves. That was strange, what was this girl. She smelled human, even though her smell was more pleasant. She looked human and other than what had just happened she hadn't given him any indication that she was anything but human and a weak one at that.
He was interested, no he was more than interested he was fascinated. He had a feeling that this was an end to his long-term boredom. But he would have no more to do with this girl. He took a step back, away from the tiny figure in the undersized kimono, as if this would reinforce his decision. He had gotten too close, he had even felt her pain for a second when he had tried to calm her. He could have sworn he had seen a battle taking place. 'She can take care of herself, she has up until this moment and the village is not that far from here. I have more important things to do, I have been wasting time. I will stay the night then I will leave before she wakes up.' He leapt back into the tree he had resided in and relaxed waiting for dawn.
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Sesshoumaru hadn't been traveling for very long, he had left when the girl had began to stir. Now he was traveling at a decent pace back to his castle. He hadn't felt like flying so he had chosen tree-to-tree transportation. He never looked back, his mind had deliberately dismissed the human girl.
Sesshoumaru stopped suddenly his ears perking up. 'What was that noise' he stretched his hearing a little further. 'It sounds like a scream, it's coming from the direction I just came from. It has to be Rin, I should have known she couldn't take care of herself in this youkai infested forest.' He took off back in the direction he came from. Flying, it only took him ten minutes to cover the distance he had traveled.
He followed Rin's scent. The scene playing out before him would have been comical if it hadn't been so confusing. There was Rin on her knees, looking on the verge of passing out staring at her hands. Directly in front of her was a youkai who was literally frozen. He had been caught by surprise by the look on his face. Inu Yasha was there as well and he proved to be the most amusing. The hanyou was standing next to the immobilized youkai his mouth hanging open looking for all intents and purposes like a raving idiot. His brother's wench was kneeling beside Rin. Everyone else wore an expression of deep confusion. None of them had noticed him . . . Yet.
'How dare she escape. Who told her she could leave, she would kill herself trying to survive on her own.'
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Rin shivered in the chilly night air. It had been three days since she had sneaked away from the camp leaving Sesshoumaru and that mean toad Jaken behind. Three very lonely days in which she still had not decided on her future. She was homeless, no families and no friends. She fought back tears as she had every time she thought about her situation. She refused to cry, tears wouldn't resolve anything.
She stood up, it was time she saw to finding a secluded area to camp and gather her evening meal. She picked up her small bag, which carried the only belongings she had left in the world. A wash cloth, a bowl, a dull knife, a mixer, a towel, a small blanket and one of the kimonos Sesshoumaru had given her. She hadn't wanted to take the kimono, but she really needed a change of clothes.
She traveled a little farther and found a small cave hidden behind a few trees, it was by a small lake. The hiding space required that she do a little climbing, but Rin didn't mind. She always pushed herself to the limit. She didn't want to think she just wanted to mindlessly trudge along.
Rin shook her head, she was scaring herself. Yesterday she had found herself staring straight ahead not noticing the beautiful surroundings, not even the flowers. Upon noticing this she began picking flowers frantically nearly becoming hysterical, if she lost her joy in the small things then she really did have nothing and life really did have no meaning. That thought scared her spit less, for if this was true then why had she lived when all of her loved ones had died.
A few tears had escaped that day, she had picked all those flowers but she had nothing to do with them. She had ended up making a small memorial to her dead family on the ground with the flowers and spoke to her family telling them that she missed them and that she still loved them. Oddly this had mentally strengthened her and physically weakened her at the same time.
Rin had made it to the cave and checked to make sure it was empty. Seeing it was safe she left her things there and began to climb back down. She was tired of fish, but right now that was the easiest thing for her to catch. She would also gather some berries and whatever else she could find that was eatable.
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Sesshoumaru watched as the girl painstakingly made her way down the side of the steep hill. He had woken up three days ago to find her missing, it hadn't even taken him a day to find her despite her excellent methods to cover her tracks. He had sent Jaken ahead to the Western Lands and had been watching the girl ever since. Ironically she was headed toward his home.
He was truly surprised that she had lasted this long, yes he was surprised and something else. Today he had finally realized what he felt along with the initial wonder. He felt a grudging respect and . . . pride, almost as if he himself had taught her how to survive.
He followed her the short way to the lake. He had asked himself why he had pursued her, why he cared if she left. He had came to the conclusion that he was just making sure that she made it to the safety of a village as repayment for her earlier help. He didn't have to do much convincing because that had truly been his intent . . . in the beginning. Now though, he was intrigued and wouldn't mind having her around long enough to figure out the mystery that was Rin. Then, naturally he would discard her.
He remembered the day he thought the strain of traveling on her own had finally gotten to her. She had started to pick flowers like a maniac. He had been shocked and a little disgusted by this show of insanity, but before he could turn away and leave for good, she had pulled herself together and she had even smiled. He had watched her make a memorial for her lost family and felt a tug of familiarity. He had once done something like that for his mother. He had left her in peace, a respectful move that he never thought he would give any human, so that she could have this time to morn her family, which he had a feeling she hadn't been given a chance to do yet.
He now watched as she stood in water that came to her calves. Her sleeves were rolled up, her face was lined with exhaustion. He knew she hadn't slept for the entire three days and she looked as if she would faint from lack of sleep at any moment. She stood in the water for what seemed like an hour, her fatigue making her hands clumsy. She dropped every fish she caught. She began shivering, teeth chattering, and her lips blue from cold tightened with determination. Sesshoumaru started to step forward, this was unnecessary he would get the damn fish for her if she wanted it. When he was about to reveal himself she caught a fish and held on to it. she brought it to the bank.
Instead of going immediately back to the cave, she began to undress. 'Stupid human, she's going to freeze to death.' Again he took a step toward her, and stopped dead in his tracks. Her lower back was lovely as he had expected, but her upper back was swollen and red. When had she been so deeply injured?
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Rin shivered, she was so cold but she couldn't go back to the cave just yet. She had to see to her back. It had been aching every since Sesshoumaru had awoken her or whatever he had done, she still wasn't sure about the events that caused her to still be living.
She reached one hand around and tentatively touched her upper back between her shoulder blades. Rin had wondered many times if this was an injury she had acquired when she had been attacked by the Lord's Son. But she continually discarded this explanation because instead of healing as it should it felt as if it was getting worse.
She pressed the flesh in, half expecting something to come out, puss, blood anything. Her back felt so full, she pressed harder and opened her mouth on a silent scream shuddering from the pain of it. Rin bent over the cold water, the top of her kimono completely hanging off her torso. She dipped her washing cloth in the freezing water and began to bathe her shoulders and back, signing with a small amount of pleasure when the cloth touched between her shoulder blades soothing the heat and the swelling. She rung the cloth dry and slipped back on her kimono. She'd wash the rest of her body in the morning. Right now she was too cold, too tired and she had no dog youkai and his sensitive nose to consider. She could forget about the berries and plants as well, it had taken her too long to catch one lousy fish.
Said fish in her hand she started back toward her temporary home, picking up some twigs and such for fire wood and a flower for good measure on the way. When she was nearly there she felt something almost like a sixth sense. She stopped and looked back the way she came from up towards the trees. She felt like someone or something was watching her, and strangely she didn't feel threatened by its presence, she almost felt relieved. She shook her head 'what nonsense am I thinking now? There's nothing there and even if there was I shouldn't feel relieved. She tucked the flower in her hair tied the string that held the fish onto her shoulder. Took a sash which was more like a torn piece of cloth and began tying the firewood to her back. After everything was secure she began to climb the steep hill.
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Sesshoumaru watched as the little human female made a tiny fire. He knew she had deliberately made it so small in an attempt to keep predators from seeing the fire and thus her hiding location. He saw the fish roasting over the fire knowing it would take longer because of the diminutive size of the flame and the good size of the fish. He watched as she sat as close to the fire as possible nearly singeing the skirt of her kimono in an attempt to get warm. He wanted to tell her that she could make the fire bigger, that he would make sure that no predator would bother her. But that would mean revealing himself, and possibly spooking her into running again. And that would not be good at least not until he got his answers.
He wondered if she already knew he was here. After all she had looked straight at him not too long ago. That had really shocked him, he hadn't really hidden himself but he knew her human eyes could not see him up in the trees. He immediately dismissed the idea of her knowing that he was near, it was impossible.
That she had, to some measure, sensed him didn't surprise him. Humans were strange that way, sometimes showing great insight sometimes showing none. That unpredictability was what made Sesshoumaru believe that humans should not be underestimated. Only a fool would underestimate his enemies. Sesshoumaru was not a fool.
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It had been three days since she had set out to find and rescue Rin. Kiyomi was getting tired and she had a feeling she wasn't even close to zeroing in on Rin's location.
Kiyomi sighed she couldn't give up now. She just hoped the village would be safe while she was gone. She never left her post at the village, but one duty was sometimes more important and pressing than another.
She would make camp here. And tomorrow she would continue her search for Rin.
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"Inu Yasha slow down we have to rest here for tonight, everyone is tired."
"You guys are so weak, If it-"
"If it wasn't for us you would have found the Shikon by now." Kagome, Sango, Miroku, and Shipo all said in unison, used to hearing this statement from the hanyou. Even Kirara snorted adding her two cents.
"Feh!" Was Inu Yasha only reply.
"Inu Yasha, why don't you want to stop for tonight?" Kagome ever sensitive to the changes in Inu Yasha's moods, asked quietly enough so that only he could hear. "Is it because this is the night of the new moon?"
"Yeah, and if you hadn't noticed we're really close to my dear bro's lands." He felt it safe enough to express this much with Kagome considering the others couldn't hear him.
"Oh." Both Kagome and Inu Yasha were thinking of the most recent fight with Sesshoumaru how even after being hit with the Kaze No Kizu he had been able to walk away nearly or completely unscathed they weren't sure which. It was not good to be this close to Sesshoumaru, during the new moon no less.
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She was making too much noise. She hadn't gone to sleep since she left him and Jaken. He had started to think she had been unable to sleep at all. Sesshoumaru jumped from his perch on a tall tree and into the small cave in one bound. He wasn't able to stand up, the ceiling of the cave was too low to the ground. So he crouched, annoyed that he had to take on this undignified position. He slowly made his way over to where she lay on the ground.
She twisted and turned crying out in agony, and even as he touched her face and sheltered her with his tail she still wouldn't quiet down. 'What tortures you so, Rin? What are your dreams showing you?' He asked knowing she couldn't hear him even if he had said it out loud, she was lost to this world and everything in it.
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The explosions were deafening, the sounds of battle were horrible. Alaric turned, looking for his wife as he had done many times in the last hour. He now fully understood why soldiers with family didn't want their love ones any where near the danger. It proved to be a serious and dangerous distraction.
How many Atlantians were left? he scanned the small crowd and did an estimate. About eighty, he could most probably fit all of those on the last life boat. He felt a deep sense of urgency, he could get his family off this sinking kingdom alive. Where the hell were those soldiers? He couldn't lead the people off into danger so he had to wait for the ok of the soldiers that they had the next boat ready. He glanced around frantically the inner walls of the temple were about to be breached, he could feel the vibration that shook the building with every heave of the huge log being banged up against the outer door. They had to hurry. He glanced over to his wife she was staring at him steadily. He resisted the urge to ask her what was going to happen, he had never taken advantage of her gift before and he wouldn't do so now. Plus he wasn't sure he wanted to know.
"Sir, sir!" Alaric watched as a young Atlantian (he couldn't be any more than sixteen) ran up to him.
"Akando what is it what's wrong, where are the other soldiers?" Akando had been one of the few soldiers to volunteer to see the people safely to the safety boats, for that Alaric would always be thankful to him as well as the other soldiers.
"It's the boats sir," Akando said panting for air.
"Damn! what about them?"
"There isn't any more."
"What do you mean there isn't any more, we filled each boat to the brim to make sure we all got out. Did something happen to the last one?"
"No sir, the one before was always the last one."
"When we counted the boats before we loaded them, there was enough for us all."
"We must have miss counted sir." This was said almost snidely and Alaric was starting to get a bad vibe from this kid.
He asked very quietly, his voice full of menace, "Where are the other soldiers?"
"Dead sir."
Alaric smiled, feeling a rage so deep it surpassed normality. "And how did they die Akando?" He already knew the answer, but he was a fair man that didn't make snapped judgments. He would hear what this traitor had to say.
The young Atlantian smiled as well, "You already know the answer to that question sir, so let's not waste time."
"The other Atlantians . . ?" Alaric asked.
"The only true Atlantians are the rebels, all else are cheap imitations."
"Now who is wasting time? You Know what I mean are they alive?"
"Unfortunately yes, but that can easily be rectified. We know where they are going and as soon as we dispose of the rest of you we will go after them."
"It was a yes or no question and all I wanted to hear was yes!" Alaric attacked the young boy before he had finished this statement. He struck him several times before his hands settled on the young Atlantian's gullet. He didn't squeeze he wouldn't kill him, not yet. He could be used in some way Alaric was sure. Before he dealt with him though he had to think of what to do with the few people of Atlantis left.
Alaric was turning to address his people, the unconscious boy lying unmoving on the floor when A'Marie ran up to him pulling him away from the temple doors, which at that moment burst open. The explosion knocking both of them several feet forward. A'Marie lost her balance, but Alaric caught her before she fell. Their daughter was still held securely in her arms. Aelan's eyes were wide open and with a steadfast look at all going on around her.
The people of Atlantis were mumbling in frightened whispers as they stared at the open area where the temple doors once were. Alaric watched the doorway warily every once in a while glancing around looking for an exit.
There was none.
There were no weapons as well, they were defenseless.
Soon several footsteps could be heard, Alaric along with all in the temple sucked in a breath, preparing themselves for what was to come. He pushed A'Marie behind him spreading his wings in a symbolic gesture telling all that he protected not only his wife and child but the people of Atlantis as well. This seemed to calm his people a little.
"I take it that you are ready to surrender Alaric. There is no way out of this situation. However we will not kill you as of yet, you could be some use to us." The leader of the rebels stepped past the smoke that rose from the debris.
"And the people of Atlantis?"
"The people standing behind you should die! For what they did to Atlantis!"
"And what about what you did to it, it's sinking. In an hour or two it will not even be here, you are the traitor here Amos not me and not these people!"
"SILENCE! I will have your silence or I will have your tongue. I was not finished. Atlantis is more than a place my dear Alaric it is a state of being a way looking at things. When you signed a treaty with those outside of Atlantis you signed us to a limitation. We are stronger, more clever, with better gifts than those who are beneath us, we should rule them. I will not kill these people you protect so passionately, that is not my master's wish. Lock them in chains." This last sentence was said to the rebels he commanded.
Aelan let out a huge cry, it bounced off the walls echoing eerily in the silence hinting at an extreme amount of inner strength. Amos whipped around at the sound looking at the bundle in A'Marie arms. One of the rebels behind Amos stepped forward and whispered loud enough for Alaric to hear, in Amos' ear.
"Is that the child the master was talking about?"
"I don't know but we'll find out when he inspects the prisoners."
"Should I take the child separately?"
Alaric stiffened at this question.
"No, let them keep the child a little while longer." Amos no longer caring about the child turned his back and walked away letting his men take care of the prisoners.
"Alaric?" A'Marie looked at him frightened by what she had heard the men say.
"It'll be all right A'Marie." He laid a comforting hand on her shoulder, not wanting to appear too close to her. Knowing that the rebels would take great pleasure in hurting him in any way.
"Alaric, please don't let them put us with the people with injuries. Aelan . . . she's in too much pain as it is." She whispered urgently, three rebel men coming toward them. Sounds of panic could be heard throughout the temple as the rebels roughly manhandled the Atlantians into the iron chains.
"A'Marie what do you mean, why is she in pain?" Alaric asked both confused and concerned as he looked down at the infant in her arms.
"It's her gift Alaric, her gift and her curse."
"Put these chains on!" It was a rebel fighter, he was holding the chains under Alaric's nose.
"No."
The rebel punched Alaric in the stomach. Alaric grunted bending over a little. But what stopped him from protesting more was the wounded sounds his baby daughter was making, her little body curling in a fetal position as if she were trying to protect her hurt stomach. He couldn't give the rebels any trouble, being this close to his daughter, she felt everything he was going through. He watched as they placed the chains on A'Marie and he surrendered . . . for now. He bent over and placed the chains around his ankles then his wrists.
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Sesshoumaru looked down at the girl who was now sleeping peacefully. He remembered at one time in her dreams she had become extremely hot to the touch, he looked down at his hands which were beginning to heal themselves. That was strange, what was this girl. She smelled human, even though her smell was more pleasant. She looked human and other than what had just happened she hadn't given him any indication that she was anything but human and a weak one at that.
He was interested, no he was more than interested he was fascinated. He had a feeling that this was an end to his long-term boredom. But he would have no more to do with this girl. He took a step back, away from the tiny figure in the undersized kimono, as if this would reinforce his decision. He had gotten too close, he had even felt her pain for a second when he had tried to calm her. He could have sworn he had seen a battle taking place. 'She can take care of herself, she has up until this moment and the village is not that far from here. I have more important things to do, I have been wasting time. I will stay the night then I will leave before she wakes up.' He leapt back into the tree he had resided in and relaxed waiting for dawn.
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Sesshoumaru hadn't been traveling for very long, he had left when the girl had began to stir. Now he was traveling at a decent pace back to his castle. He hadn't felt like flying so he had chosen tree-to-tree transportation. He never looked back, his mind had deliberately dismissed the human girl.
Sesshoumaru stopped suddenly his ears perking up. 'What was that noise' he stretched his hearing a little further. 'It sounds like a scream, it's coming from the direction I just came from. It has to be Rin, I should have known she couldn't take care of herself in this youkai infested forest.' He took off back in the direction he came from. Flying, it only took him ten minutes to cover the distance he had traveled.
He followed Rin's scent. The scene playing out before him would have been comical if it hadn't been so confusing. There was Rin on her knees, looking on the verge of passing out staring at her hands. Directly in front of her was a youkai who was literally frozen. He had been caught by surprise by the look on his face. Inu Yasha was there as well and he proved to be the most amusing. The hanyou was standing next to the immobilized youkai his mouth hanging open looking for all intents and purposes like a raving idiot. His brother's wench was kneeling beside Rin. Everyone else wore an expression of deep confusion. None of them had noticed him . . . Yet.